Junction-box



AVA ZIE GLER.

JUNCTION BOX.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-6.1915.

Patented July 8, 1919.

2 SHEET$SHEET 1.

II A'IIIII/IIIIIIII/I 4 I a I I n I NITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

ALFRED A. ZIEGLER, or BosToii, MASSACHUSETTS.

JUNCTIQN-BOX.

Application filed November 6, 1915.

cables against movement through the bottom-plate, by forming recesses 1n the bottom-plate around the cables, and filling such recesses with solder or an equivalent binding agent. The labor cost of such construction is large, for the solder or other binder must he applied after the assembly of the box, or after the panel-boards and cable'- hpusing have been mounted on the bottom' plate.

@ne of theobjects, therefore, is to provide a junction box havingits panel-boards and cable-housing removably secured to the bottom-plate, which plate is itself removably secured to the casing, and having a recessed block, wherein the solder is deposited, which is removably secured to the bottomplate. By this construction, the cables may he passed through the recessed block, and united therewith by the binding material; the panel-boards and cable-housings may be secured upon the bottom-plate, and inserted in the casingas a unit, and the cable-block finally secured thereto.

Another objectis to provide a novel form of cover-plate for the box which will eifi: ciently guard against the entrance of rain, snow, and the like, into the box, but does not require the'use of-complicated and ex ptlensive sealing ribs, frames, gaskets, or the Still yanother object is to provide a junc-, tion-bdxfhaving dpors of such construction that complete access maybe readily had to both the frontand rear sides of the panelboards and: cable-housing.

The abov'e andother incidental objects of a similarfnature which will be hereinafter more specifically treated, are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification, and then more particu larly pointed out in the claims which are ap- Specification of Letters Patent.

The sections 13 an 16, or other fastening-means,

Patented July 8, 1919.

Serial No. 60,107.

pended hereto, and form a part of this application.

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation with portions of the front wall broken away, to

more clearly illustrate the interior arrangement of the box.

Fig. 2 is a section on Fig. 1. v

. Fig. 3' is a top plan of the cover plate.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan of the cover plate. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of the line 2-2 of Fig. 3.

. Fig. 6 is a top plan of the bottom plate.

Fig.

7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6

Fig: 8 is a bottomplan of the bottomplate.

Fig. 9 is an end elevation oi the bottom plate.

Fig. 10 is a detail view illustrating particularly the fastening means whereby the panel-boards are secured to the bottomplate, which latter member is shown in transverse section.

Fig. 11 illustrates the means employed in securing the cable-housingto the box-plate.

Fig. 12 is a section on the line 12-42 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a transverse section of a modified form of the bottom plate.

Fig. 14 is a transverse section of a further modified form of the bottom plate.

Fig. 15 is a section on the line 15-4501? Fig. 8.

The junction-box here shown for illustrating my invention, includes a substantially rectangular upright casing A, having a cover-plate B, whlch serves as a top-closure, a bottom-plate C, a housin D for the main cables, and a pair of paneloards E.

The casing A includes a rear-wall 10, sidewalls 11, 12, and a front-wall which is comlemental sections 18, 14.

posed of twocom 14 are respectively fixed to the forward edges and 12, and said side-walls are hinged, as at 15, to the side of the rear-wall 10. A hasp is provide for the two sections of the front-wall. By

making thQ'tWO sections of the front-wall 105 fixed with respect to theside-walls, and hinging these members tothe rear-wall, access' may be had to the panel-boards and cable-housing with unusual facility.

The cover-plate B (see Figs. 3, 4, and 5) 110 Y of the side-walls 11 is here shown as rectangular, and has upon its upper face the intersecting strengthening webs 18, which terminate in corner bosses or blocks 19. The area of the coverplate is greater than the cross-sectional area of the casing, so that its marginal portions extend outwardly over the top of the walls of the casing, to effectively guard against the entrance to the casing of rain, snow, melting ice, and the like.

flange 20, is formed on the rear edge of the cover-plate which extends downward and engages the outer face of the rear-wall 10; and 22, and a front-flange 23, extend downward from the lower face o f the cover-plate, the flanges 21 and 22, en faces of the side-walls 11 and 12, respectively, and the flange 23 engaging the inner faces of the front sections 13 and 14. These flanges serveto hold the cover-plate against displacement, and also to hold the movable v walls of the casing in closed position, and

. section, but it may be of any ot also-serve as sealing-means for preventing the entrance of moisture into the casing.

The rear ends of the flanges 21 and 22 are equidistantly spaced from the flange 20, see Fig. 4, so that the upper edge of the rearwall 10, may be disposed in said space.

It oftentimes happens that rain, melting snow or ice, or water of condensation, collects upon the cover-plate, and runs over the edge of the same, and because of surface cohesion, passes across the lower face of the marginal portions thereof, and enters the casing at the top. To effectually guard against this trouble, an isolated draining groove 24, is provided, see Figs. 1, 2, and 4, in the lower face of the cover-plate, which extends along the front and both sides of the plate, being located between the perimeter thereof and the walls of the casing. Water which collects on or passes across the underside of the cover-plate will enter this groove 24, where it wi'll collect and subsequently fall.

The bottom-plate C, has extended downward from its underside attaching-flanges 25, 26, which engage the, walls of the casing, the flange 25 at the rear edge of the bottom wall being secured to the rear wall 10 of the casing by screws, to thus hold said plate in position.

The cable-housing is centrally disposed upon said b'ottom-plate. Said housing is here shown as of rectangular sha e in crosser design, without departing'from my invention. The lower end of the housing rests u on a centering boss 32, and is remova-b y held in place thereon by small plates 27, see Figs. 11 and 12, which are secured to its side-walls 28 by screws 29, and which have bolt-mem-' bars 30, which pass through openings formed in the bottom-plate C, and receive nuts 31.

and a pair of parallel side-flanges 21' gaging the inner.

- rom the casing the bottom-plate, having corner-ears 37 through which screws 38, pass to secure it to said bottom-plate. Cable-openings 39, are formed in the block to aline with the openings 33. Surrounding each opening 39, is a recess 40, in the top of the block, the walls 41 of which are downwardly convergent, see Fig. 7. In each recess 40 is deposited the solder or equivalent binding material 42, which is firmly packed to tie, the cables to the block.

The cables may be inserted in the cablehousing after said housing has been secured upon the bottom-plate, because cables may be soldered in the block 39 and then said block secured to the bottom-plate.

.The panel-boards E, may be of any .suitable type, it being only requisite in the present invention, that they be equipped with suitable terminal connections to which the wires of the cables may be attached.

As herein shown, the panel-boards are rectangular and are mounted in parallel spaced relation to each'other at opposite sides of the casing A, being braced at their upper ends by means of a substantially U-shaped frame 43, the arms of which are secured to the panel-boards and the intermediate portion of which is seated in kerfs formed in the upper portions of the side-Walls 28 of the cable-housing.

The forward edges of the panel-boards carry conductor-plates 44, which are right angularly disposed with respect to the panelboards, and carry the terminal contacts 45. Each panel-board isremovably secured upon the bottom-plate by a pair of lugs 46 and 47, the former extending transversely upon the bottom-plate, and the latter at right angles thereto. The members 46 are provided in their upper edges withja pair of spaced grooves 48 while the members 47 are each provided with a single groove 49. v

Bolts 50 extend from the lower edges of the panel-boards E, and the plates 44, and seat in the grooves 48 and 49 as in Figs. 1

1 and 2. Nuts 51 are a plied to these bolts for clamping the paneloards and plates 44 to the lugs 46 and 47 respectively.

Some particular advantages of my present construction are that panel-boards and cable-housing may be readily and quickly mounted upon or removed from the bottomplate C; that this bottom-plate may be as quickly and easil secured in and removed X, and that the cables may be easily inserted in the cable-housing, and properly secured against movement therein, after the bottom-wall, casing, panel-boards,

7 plate,

and cable-housing have been inserted in the casing A. L

It is sometimes desirable to form the binding-block as an integral part of the bottom-plate. Such a modification is shown in Fig. 13, wherein the block 52 is cast as an integral part of the plate 52 Cableopenings 53 are provided and solder-receiving recesses 53 are formed above and around the openings.

It may also be desirable to dispose the solder upon the upper face of the bottomas in the modified .form of Fig. 14, wherein a shell or casing 54, is cast upon the upper face of the bottom-plate 55, to receive the solder or equivalent material. A cable-opening 56 is formed in the plate in concentric relation to the member 54:. When the member 5A is employed, the inner edges of the walls and of the cable-housing indicated at 57 by dotted lines, must be arranged as at 58, so that it will snugly engage over the member 54.

I claim g v1. A junction-box including a casing, a cover-plate therefor, said cover-plate having marginal portions thereof extended beyond the walls of the casing, one of said walls being hingedly connected to the casing to form a door to permit access to the interior of the casing, the top edge of said door closely fitting against the extendedmarginal portions of the cover plate and in sliding contact against the lower face of said marginal portions as closed, said cover-plate having a depending flange against which the door is in close contact in its vclosed position, and a water-deflecting groove 1n the lower faces of the extended marginal portions between the edges thereof and the casing. e

2. A junction box including a substantially rectangular casing having movable walls, a removable cover-plate therefor, said cover-plate being of greater area than the cross sectional area of the casing, whereby its marginal portions overhang the walls of the casing, flanges depending from the under side of the cover-plate, one to engage the outer face of one wall of the casing and others to engage the inner faces of all the walls of the casing,

casing;- r

3. junction-box including a substantially rectangular casing, a removable cover-plate therefor, said cover-plate being of greater area than the cross-sectional area of the casing, whereby its marginal portions overhang the walls of the casing, a depending flange formed on the rear edge of the cover-plate to engage against .t e rear-wall of the casing, parallel side-flanges depending from the coverlate to engage againstthe inner faces of t e side-walls of the casing and afront-flange depending 'whereby the rear-wail said door'is opened or' and a hasp for the from the cover-plate to engage the face of the front-wall of thecasing.

4. A junction-box including a substanfaces of the side-walls of the casing and a front-flange depending from the cover-plate to engage the face of the front-wall of the casing, the rear ends of said side-flanges being spaced from the said rear-flange, of the casing is received between the terminals of the side-flanges and the rear-flange, all of said flanges coacting to prevent the longitudinal or transverse movement of the cover-plate upon the casing 5.- A junction-box including a casing, a cover-plate therefor, a removable bottomplate, a cable housing removably secured to said bottom-plate, panel boards separately mounted upon the bottom-plate, and means for detachably securing the panel-boards to said bottom-plate, whereby said bottomplate, panel-boards and cable housing may be applied as a unit,

6. A junction-box including a casing, a removable bottom-plate therefor, a cablehousing rising from the bottom-plate, panel boards separately and detachably mounted on said. bottom plate, means removably securingthe cable-housing to the bottomplate, and a cover-plate for the casing.

i. A junction-box including a casing, a removable bottom-plate therefor, a cablehousing rising from the bottom-plate, means removably securing the cable-housing to the bottom-plate, panel-boards separately mounted upon the bottom-plate, means for detachably-securing the panel-boards to the bottom-plate, and a cover-plate for the casing. A g

'8. A junction-box including a casing, a removable bottom-plate therefor, a cablehousingbrising from the bottom-plate, means remova ly securing the cable-housing to the bottom-plate, panel-boards mounted upon the bottom-plate, a substantially U-shaped to or removed from the casing bracing frame connecting the upper endportions of the panel-boards and cablehousing, means for detachably securing the panel-boards to the bottom-plate, and a removable cover-plate for the casing.

having cable openings therethrough, said bottom-plate being formed with a fiat lower face about said openings, and a cable-block removably secured to the bottom plate having a flat face to engage the corresponding fiat face of the bottom plate in the secure position of said bloc cable-openings in said cable-block registering with the cableopenings in the bottom plate in the secured position of said block to said bottom plate, said cable-block having a recess about the cable openings therein arranged to receive cables, and a solid binding material in said recess to unite the cables with said cable block, whereby the cables are supported by said cable-block from said bottom-plate.

10. A junction-box including a casing, a cover-plate at the upper end thereof, a bottom-plate removably secured to the bottom end thereof, said bottom-plate having a cable opening therein, and having a flat surface on its upper face surrounding the cable opening adapted to receive a cablehousing, a cable-housing detachabl secured to said bottom-plate about the ca le opening therein having a flat bottom to engage the corresponding flat face of the bottom plate in the secured position of the housing to the bottom-plate, bolts secured to the walls of said cable-housing extended 1,aos,sao

through openings in the bottom plate serv ing to aline said cable housing in position on said bottom plate and secure said housing on said plate, and sealing material within said cable housing.

11. A junction box including a casing, a cover plate therefor, a removable bottom plate having cable receiving openings, a block removably secured to the bottom plate and provided with cable orceiving open ings disposed to register with cable receivmg openings in the bottom'plate, said cable a block having recesses in its upper face which surround the cable receiving openings adapted to receive binding material to secure the cables, a cable housing rising from the bottom plate above said cable block,

means for detachably securing said cable housing to the bottom plate, panel boards arranged at the sides of the housing, and means for detachably' securing said panel boards to the bottom plate.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in'the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED A. ZIEGLER,

Witnesses:

' H. B. DAvrs, B. J. Notes. 

